Package opener



A. SMREKAR Dec. 30, 1941.

PACKAGE OPENER Filed April 25, 1940 In ventor A iorney Patented Dec. 30, 1l .e

' viJNrrle STATES The present invention relates to opening devices for packages, such as cigarette packages and the like, and has for its primary object to provide a ripping cord secured inwardly of the package and extending around the corners at one end thereof to provide for the opening of said end of the package upon the pulling of the cord, an important object of the present invention residing in the provision of anchoring means for one end of the cord during the ripping action and to provide a cutter carried by said anchoring means to sever the cord after the package has been opened.

A further object of-the present invention is to provide an. opening device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eiicient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference beingV had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package showing the ripping cord in position therein and with part of the revenue stamp or package seal broken away to illustrate the anchoring means for the cord.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the package after the same has been opened.

Figure 3 a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner of securing the cord within the corner of the package.

` Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the anchoring means for the cord, and

Figure 5 is plan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral E designates a package of conventional form such as commonly used for cigarettes and which is usually provided with the revenue stamp 6 at one end thereof for sealing the end of the package.

The corner of the package at the end adjacent the revenue stamp is `scored as indicated at 1, the score line extending along the end wall 8 and partly along the two side walls thereof. Se-y cured within the package under said score line is a cord or other flexible member 9 having one I@ in one of the side walls and terminating in a free extremity I I, the cord, adjacent its other end extending through an opening I2 in the opposite side wall and secured in position to an anchoring member designated generally at i3.

The anchoring member is constructed of light Weight, bendable metal and is'oi substantially' rectangular form as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing and with the ends of the member shaped into a pair of flaps Ill adapted for bending along the fold lines designated at I5 and inserted through slotted openings I6 formed in the side wall'of the package, the inner ends of the flaps being-bent inwardly toward each other as shown more clearly at Il in Figure i of the drawing to secure the anchoring member in poy sition on the package.

The anchoring member is provided with an opening I8 through which the cord 9 is inserted, the cord extending longitudinally of the anchoring member behind the same-and projected outwardly through an opening I9 and-then wedged in a V-shaped slit 2@ formed in one edge portion of the anchoring member.

Adjacent the center of the anchoring member is formed a triangular shaped opening 4'2l which communicates with the opening I8 by means of a relatively narrow slotted opening 22, the cord being positioned immediately behind said slotted opening. The edge of the opening 2l opposite from the slotted opening 22 is-formed with cutting teeth 23, said teeth being adapted to sever the cord after the extremity II has-been pulled so as to open the package at its score line l, and the cord subsequently pulled through the slotted opening 22 of the anchoring member I3. Accordingly, after the ripping cord has been used to open the end of the package as shown .in Figure 2 of the drawing, the cord may be severed and disengaged from the package.

It is believed the details of construction, op-

' eration and manner of use of the device will be end projecting outwardlyv through an opening readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation:

Having described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A package opener comprising a exible ripping member positioned inwardly' of the package at an edge portion thereof and having its ends protruding from the package, a rigid anchoring member attached to the package and adapted to anchor one end of the flexible member thereto and a cutter carried by the anchoring member for engagement by the iiexible member subsequent to the ripping action ofthe latter, said flexible member being normally retained out oi v engagement with the cutter.

2. A package opener comprising a exible ripping member positioned inwardly of the package at an edge portion thereof and having its ends protruding from the package, a rigid anchoring member attached to the package and adapted to anchor one end of the flexible member thereto and a cutter carried'by the anchoring member for engagement by the flexible member during a continuation of the ripping action oi said flexible member for subsequently severing said exible member from the package, said anchoring member having a restricted guide slot for the flexible member leading to the cutter and normally retaining the iiexible member out of engagement with the cutter.

3. A package opener comprising a flexible ripping member positioned inwardly of the package at an edge portion thereof and'having .its ends protruding from the package, a rigid anchoring member attached to the package and having openings for threadedly receiving one end of the flexible member and a cutter carried by assasvs 4iiexible member during a continuation of the ripping action thereof for subsequently severing said exible member from the package, said anchoring member having a restricted guide slot for the exible member leading to the cutter and normally retaining the yiiexible memberout o! engagement with the cutter. y

4. A package opener comprising a ilexible ripping member positioned inwardly of the package at an edge portion thereof and having its ends protruding from the package, a metallic anchoring member secured to the package having openings for receiving and positioning a portion of the exible member behind the anchoring member, a 'cutting opening in the anchoring member having a cutting edge, said cutting opening having communication with one of the first named openings for guiding the exible member against said cutting edge for severing the same at the completion of the ripping action of said flexible member.

ANNE SMIREKAR. 

